Administration:
Pretty lenient campus police. People love to go out an have fun, and the campus police respect that. Unless your are loud and doing something way out of line, they leave you alone. It's pretty nice

Athletics:
I think we pride ourselves on having amazing athletic facilities. You can find indoor and outdoor tennis courts, amazing squash courts, indoor and outdoor tracks, and a great gym to name a few.

Academics:
Faculty is very helpful and supportive. You'll often have classes with some of the same people who are your major. The science majors are the only ones who are really on their own and in their own group. Because of all the labs, classes and research, the science majors such as Biology or Chemistry, really only stay in their own building for everything, so other majors don't interact with them as much I find.

Academics:
Academics are superior. St. Lawrence has great faculty and hard-working students. The work load can get pretty heavy sometimes, but everyone is in the same boat. It never gets to the point where your work in unmanageable, but we are pushed and challenged a lot. However, because of the SLU atmosphere and people here, people know how to balance life and academics. We all help each other out, and I have not sensed a severe completive attitude on campus at anytime.

Local Area:
Canton is extremely small but very quaint. The main part of town has a lot of charm to it. Some of the houses are really pretty on the main strip. The eateries are fun to go to when you want to get off campus but not go far. Students often go down the road 15 minutes to Potsdam for shopping or eating. Though we are in the middle of nowhere, Canton is fairly close to some fun locations such as Lake Placid, Ottawa, Montreal, Burlington, Syracuse and others. If you're getting cabin fever, it's pretty easy to get out of town on the weekend.

Party Scene:
Thursdays and Saturdays are generally the big nights to go out. Fridays you can find plenty of fun parties going on, but more people tend to relax on a Friday night and save up energy for Saturday. A lot of students have schedules which allow them to have no classes on Fridays which explains why Thursdays are such a popular night to go out. There are always parties going on at houses around or off campus, dorms, suites, and townhouses. No one ever has a problem finding something fun to do if you're in the mood to party.

Health & Safety:
Security is always available by a phonecall, we have a safe walk program, and the advocates program to deal with sexual assault. Was really happy with how sexual assault was dealt with especially after hearing horrible stories about college cover ups.

Off-Campus Housing:
Canton is a fairly economically depressed community, so there are few options for off-campus housing. Most professors don't even live in Canton, but in the nearby town of Potsdam (10 miles away).

Overall Experience:
The St. Lawrence alumni community is amazingly connected to the student body, and it is reasonable to assume that a St. Lawrence student who works hard and seeks out and maintains connections will find internships and jobs well suited to them.

Health & Safety:
Health Services are only available to students during the business day, and never on weekends; students are forced to go to the hospital in the neighboring town (10 miles away) to receive medical attention after 4pm on weekdays or at all on weekends. While support services are available to survivors of sexual assaults, they are of low quality and efficacy. I know multiple women who have been sexually assaulted on campus, and none have seen resolution of the issue, let alone accusation of their attackers.

Security services are not tolerant of alcohol abuse, but are wise enough to support seeking help for alcohol abuse instead of strictly penalizing it. Meaning, a student whose physical safety may be at jeopardy due to alcohol abuse will be taken care of by security, not punished.

Overall ExperienceWhat's this?

One of the University's biggest detractors is its location; Canton is in the middle of farmland, and the nearest city is Montreal, at about two hours away. However, the location contributes to the community feel on campus, since students are there all of the time, and opens up opportunities for trips to Canada or the Adirondacks over breaks. Even so, many mourn the lack of off-campus entertainment and the difficulty of getting anywhere. Because of St. Lawrence’s location and strong campus community, there is a tendency for students to get caught in the "SLU bubble." To resolve that problem, students should make a point to volunteer or take advantage of other opportunities in the surrounding area. Some classes have a community-based learning component, which gets students volunteering in the community in a way that contributes to their class experience. SLU expects students to not only be able to memorize facts, but to also be able to apply them to real world experiences. Volunteerism, study abroad, research opportunities, and internships are all part of SLU’s hands-on approach to learning and a major focus of academics at the University.

Since it is a liberal arts college, SLU focuses less on job-specific skills and more on students’ ability to reason through problems in creative ways. Writing and speaking effectively are skill sets highlighted by the unique First-Year Program, but these qualities are also built upon in some ways in all classes. The small class size forces students to actively know the material and contribute to discussions. Classes are designed to engage students in the material, and it’s not a place for those who like to nap in class. The interactive approach, especially in the First-Year Program class, makes students work creatively to present and apply information. For many students, this is one of the best aspects of SLU.